I wish for you every time
by RIN14
Summary: Rin lay motionless on the cold cave floor in a state of paralysis. Sesshomaru would be out searching for her now; but the question was, did she want to be found? Her heart was plagued with pain from the images that ripped through her mind. Was it all real
1. Nothing stays the same

**-Chapter One-**

**-Nothing stays the same.-**

**"**There was never a good war or a bad peace."  
- Ben Franklin

_**-I will only say this once, so listen. I sadly, do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. But one day… One day… Oh who am I kidding? Go on and read the story.-**_

It had been four winters since the evil Naraku had been slain by Inuyasha and his miko companion. Sesshomaru may not have even believed his bother would be capable of such a feat, had he not witnessed it all for himself. Many years had Sesshomaru; great and powerful Lord of the Western Lands, traveled the country side in search of Naraku with his young ward Rin and his loyal toad follower Jaken. Now; however, there was no longer any need to roam the country. Soon after Naraku was defeated, Sesshomaru, Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un returned to the great castle of the west to stay indefinitely.

**Four long and uneventful years had passed.**

"Sesshomaru! Sesshomaruuu!" A much older Rin yelled, as she bounced throughout the halls of her beloved lord's castle.

"Hmm. Now where could Lord Sesshomaru have gone to this time?" Rin said as she placed a hand on her hip and an index finger to her chin.

Rin looked around and continued her search through the castle for Sesshomaru. She slowed her search to a walk as she heard foot steps around the corner. Jaken, the little toady imp rounded the corner with a very irritated look on his face. "Rin! Why do you insist on filling my chamber with all of those wild flowers! After over four years of being in my company, one would POSSIBLY keep in mind that I dislike them being anywhere near me," the imp screeched waving his arms in the air.

"Oh! Master Jaken! I picked those wildflowers out in the garden this morning! I picked some for Lord Sesshomaru as well," Rin stated as she pointed to her bag over her shoulder, filled with flowers. "I have been unable to find him though… Have you seen him?"

Jaken looked at her awe stricken, '_Rin is always sitting inside the gardens watching the fountains or picking flowers! Such childish nonsense. But to think she always picks some for me as well as Lord Sesshomaru…_'

"Master Jaken?... Master Jaken?..." Rin questioned him as he stood with a dazed look about his face.

"Oh! Sesshomaru is in his study of course. You must have made no effort to find him at all!" Jaken said with a matter-o-fact tone. "However, you know how much our lord enjoys his peace and quite. You also know not to disturb him, when he is having his personal time in his study."

Rin grinned at Jaken clearly not paying attention to his warnings, and turned around and once again continued her search for Sesshomaru. Jaken merely sighed and continued about his business; meanwhile Rin was nearing the study doors.

Her bouncy chocolate brown hair swayed from side to side and she walked down the hallway. She had grown over the past four years a lot, physically and mentally. She no longer randomly danced throughout the hallways, or frolicked through the meadows and gardens. No, she now would visit her favorite places and remain stationary so she could sit and observe the world and all of its natural beauty. Her physical features also became more womanly, yet also much defined.

"Sesshomaru! Sesshomaruuuu!" Rin shouted gleefully and she knocked on the door.

She wasn't kept waiting long, for the door opened soon after she knocked. "Rin. Tell me what it is it that you wish to tell this Sesshomaru." He stated with his normal stoic mask he always wore.

"Lord Sesshomaru! I have gathered flowers for you from the garden!" She smiled happily as she reached in her bag and pulled out a large bouquet of flowers. He just stood there, and looked at her.

He nodded in approval and she smiled a smile almost too big for her face. Sesshomaru began thinking to himself, '_Such simple things make this Sesshomaru's Rin happy._' He shook the last thought out of his head. '_I do not claim this girl. She is but a mere human, and that is something I shall take no part in_.'

Sesshomaru grinned inwardly as she excitedly walked past him and replaced the flowers in the vase on the table near his desk with the new flowers she had picked for him. She tenderly arranged the flowers in the vase and finally became content with her masterpiece after a minute of arranging. Rin turned around to present the flower arrangement to her Lord, but paused when she met his pair of golden eyes. "Lor..Lord Sesshomaru… Your flowers!" Rin stuttered.

Sesshomaru gazed at her and thought to himself, _'It seems as if this Sesshomaru is able to pull forth a strange reaction from Rin when I gaze into her eyes_.' He caught himself, '_Of course, I am capable of bringing any kind of reaction from whom ever I wish._' The thought of having such an effect on Rin still left him curious though. Was she not the same child that followed him on his journey to find Naraku? No. She was much more… grown up.

He gave her another nod of approval and she gave him one of her best smiles as she placed the vase back on the desk. "Lord Sesshomaru, will you be coming down to dinner with us tonight? My lord, you have been missing it for weeks." A solemn look took over her face.

'_Hn. This Sesshomaru answers to no one_.' He looked back at her, and seen her smile had faded. "I shall join you tonight. However; I owe no answer to anybody so expecting one any further is futile."

Rin's smile returned to her face and she bowed over and replied, "Oh of course not M'Lord!"

"Rin."

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru?"

"You need not bow, you aren't employed by me."

"Just showing respect m'lord!" Her smile widened. "Excuse me Lord Sesshomaru."

He nodded and she exited his study.

--

Rin walked back to her room, dazed and slightly confused. '_What was that… that feeling that Lord Sesshomaru gave me? I felt like dancing, like running through a field of flowers, like taking a hot bath, like… like… like nothing I've ever felt before maybe._' She reached her chamber doors and entered her room, sliding off her sandals. '_I'm supposed to feel this way towards Sesshomaru, am I not? Hmm. Speaking of hot bath…_' She pulled off her kimono and walked to the hot spring room and lowered herself into the warm water. '_He saved my life many years ago… Literally. Also since then he's rescued me from danger on countless events. This affection for him, it's natural?_' Rin soaked in the water and added rose scented oil into the water. '_Lord Sesshomaru likes roses… Well… He seems as if he keeps them longer than the other flowers I get him_.' She eased out of the spring and toweled off.

--

"Lord Sesshomaru!" A panther demon with short messy hair ran towards his study. "Lord Sesshomaru, there have been disturbances in the lower regions of the lands from the southern lords army's. They have been stealing from the regions villages, and disturbing the peaceful demons." Takada said outside the study door. "My Lord?"

Sesshomaru sat in his study listening to the report from one of his army's generals. Takada was a strong, cunning, and loyal panther demon who was very skilled in the art of war. During the quiet seasons when crime rates were low, and wars were sparse, he would assign Takada to patrol his lands, for it was where he was in his element. He had no family, so roaming the country side was what he enjoyed, and when he asked for the position to do so, Sesshomaru granted it. The lord of the Western lands walked to his study doors and opened one.

"I see. This Sesshomaru shall take care of this matter." Sesshomaru stated flatly as he looked down the general.

"M'lord, there is no need for you to…" Takada was cut off by Sesshomaru.

"If I say that there is need you will do well no to question my actions. I owe you no explanation, but I will give you one anyways. This Sesshomaru has become bored. That is all."

Knowing he had already overstepped his boundaries Takada bowed deeply and left the corridor. Sesshomaru turned to return to his paper work, and to plan out his patrolling for tomorrow. Meanwhile Rin was making her way to the dining hall. The Sun was setting in the sky and the castle corridors were no longer glowing with the suns natural light. Rin was very used to navigating the castle with little light, for she would often venture into the kitchen for a midnight snack, or take a stroll through the garden for a breath of fresh air. Occasionally she would run into Sesshomaru, and he would sit in her company as she ate, or would wander the gardens with her, with some conversation depending on the night.

She entered the brightly lit dining hall as she took a seat in front of Jaken. "Master Jaken, have you seen lord Sesshomaru?"

Jaken shook his head.

"Did he say something came up, and he could not make it to dinner? He told me he would be coming." Rin's smile faded.

Jaken seemed distracted and kept looking over Rin's shoulder nervously. "Rin." Sesshomaru's voice sounded through the dining hall. "This Sesshomaru is one who always keeps his word. Did you not expect for me to come?"

Rin slowly turned around, her eyes darting to Sesshomaru's feet. "I'm sorry Lord Sesshomaru. I know your word is as solid as the castle walls that surround us."

He replied with a small, "hn." And he took his seat at the head of the table.

"Jaken, Rin." Their eyes darted up at the sound of their lord's voice calling upon them. "The lower regions of the my lands have been under minor attack. Tomorrow I shall leave to attend to the disturbances. Jaken, you are to stay here with Rin. I will be back in fourteen days." He glanced over in Rin's direction, and seen her smile turn to a frown. '_What has her disturbed_?'

Rin was anxious. Four years, had she been staying in the castle and now she had a chance to travel like they used to back in the days of hunting Naraku. She looked over to Sesshomaru who had taken notice to her when she frowned. "Rin," Sesshomaru said, "What is it?"

She looked around nervously before replying, "Oh, ah, nothing M'lord!"

"Rin, I am not someone you wish to lie to." Sesshomaru's eyes met hers.

"Lord Sesshomaru, I am sorry." Rin frowned. "I just wish to accompany you on your journey to the lower region of the lands." She noticed his face still showed no emotion and he was still looking at her, "That is, if it wouldn't be too much of a problem."

Sesshomaru looked at her, "Rin. If you were a burden this Sesshomaru would not keep you in his presence. You and Jaken shall accompany me to the lower regions of the lands." He took note to the large smile that spread across her face. '_Hn. Humans. Constantly they wear their hearts on their sleeves. It would do them good to keep their composure and learn to control the emotions that only lead to the loss of their life. There is no danger for her as she's with me. I'll let her get by with it._'

"Oh thank you lord Sesshomaru!" She was beaming with happiness.

The Group ate their delicious meals. Jaken had dismissed himself early, for the peppers in the soup gave him some hardcore indigestion. Sesshomaru and Rin were left at the table finishing the desert the waiters had brought out to them. Rin looked at Sesshomaru, '_flawless. Lord Sesshomaru is simply breath taking_.' She shook her head. She can't have such thoughts of Lord Sesshomaru. He has been her protector, her friend… Nothing more.

The great lord of the Western lands watched as Rin shook her head. Heat rose to her cheeks making a natural pretty blush spread across her face. '_What is it about this Sesshomaru that makes my Rin blush at the thought of me?_' He froze. '_She cannot be. Nor can I allow myself…_'

"Sesshomaru," his thoughts were cut off. Rin noticed she caught him off guard. He looked into her eyes, and she seen the flash of emotion runs across his face, Affection. This made her lose her train of thought and there was a silence that seemed as if it would never be broken.

'_This Sesshomaru is never at a loss for words._' He thought to himself. He decided to break this silence, but Rin had beaten him to the punch.

"Sesshomaru… I'm really glad you've kept me with you all these years. I just wanted to let you know." She smiled softly at him.

Without thinking, the corner of Sesshomaru's lips turned up, but then quickly went back down. Don't think this went un noticed by Rin though, she was inwardly celebrating. It wasn't every day that great Lord Sesshomaru or the Western Lands smiled. As a matter of fact it was something very rare indeed. "Rin," he began, "I do not _keep _you. I have always given you the option to go or stay if you so pleased to do so." He noticed the glow in her eyes die out some. '_Her happiness should not concern me. But why does this ail me inside?_' It dawned on him. '_I will not have feelings for Rin. She is human._' He shook the thoughts from his head.

"Although, your company is valued by this Sesshomaru," he continued making her face brighten back up.

"Well M'lord, I believe I am finished with dinner. May I be dismissed?" Rin asked.

Before she could get up, Sesshomaru was already behind her, and pulling her chair gracefully out from under the table. A deep blush spread across her face, and she turned her head to look at Sesshomaru. His face still held the same emotionless mask it normally kept… but this time it was different. It wasn't half as cold as it usually was. "Thank you Lord Sesshomaru."

She stood up and looked at him. He turned around, and began walking down the hallway, with Rin in his wake. She was nearing her chamber door, and she was expecting him to continue his walk to his bedroom, on the next door down or to his study a door further. Rin was mistaken though, for she ran head on to Sesshomaru's chest. She looked up and met a gleaming pair of Amber eyes. '_Not a million beautiful flowers could equal his two eyes. So strong, so comforting… No. No! I cannot think this way_.'

Sesshomaru noticed she was in her daze again. What to do to bring her out of it? Curiosity took the best of him. He took an eloquent clawed finger and slid it down the side of her perfectly shaped face. He enjoyed the reaction her body gave him at his touch. '_What is it that intrigues me so, about this girl?_' No. Rin was no longer the girl that pestered his little imp follower, or the little girl frolicking about the meadows on their hunt for Naraku. No. Rin was a Woman now. Her small frame turned into a long slender, but built body. Toned, from continuous walks and training around the castle.

He was successful in pulling her out of her daze. She looked up at him and placed her hands on his chest. She took notice to how toned it was, even under his armor. What was it that drew her to him? Love? Lust? A mix of them both with pure curiosity? '_Too late to think about that now._' Rin thought to herself.

Sesshomaru also found himself questioning his actions. '_Rin. She is but a human. My father's downfall was that human woman, and it will be Inuyasha's too. Maybe just a family weakness. No. This Sesshomaru was not weak. Everything I do is purely free will. But why do I wish to exercise this free will? Have I accumulated feelings for Rin? No. But I shall explore the curious thoughts racing through my mind._'

He leaned over and pulled all of her hair to a bundle on one side of her neck and lightly breathed on her ear. She shuddered and he continued to follow his curiosity. He lightly took a claw and ran it down the side of her neck, and he noticed the chill bumps that appeared. He inwardly smirked to himself. Then, all of a sudden, she surprised him. Rin placed her hands behind the demon lords back and pulled him closer, tilting her neck to the side, giving him full access to it.

Sesshomaru couldn't help but smirk in her body's response. He leaned down and nuzzled her neck, and then something happened. Sesshomaru's fangs began to grow along with the magenta stripes on his body. Red began to bleed in with the white in his eyes and a low growl came from his chest. Sesshomaru walked away from Rin, for her own good. Maybe later he could explain this action to her. But then again, he is the great lord of the western lands, and he owes a explanation to no one. Rin however, is someone.

Maybe she could be an exception.

--

Rin shook. Not from any emotion in specific. It was indescribable. What had just happened? And most importantly, why did Sesshomaru just up and walk away? She had noticed his slight physical changes, but what did that have anything to do with her? Rin was still curious… She had much more to explore. She entered her room and thought to herself, '_I can't get his touch out of my head… The way everything felt, the way he touched me. The way he smelled. I enjoyed every part of what just happened. The best part though, was that look he gave me._' Rin sighed. Was she in love with Lord Sesshomaru?

--

Sesshomaru collapsed onto his large and extremely comfortable bed. His fangs, stripes, and eyes were all back to normal. This mental battle; however, was far from over. '_WHY? What has she done to me? This Sesshomaru never loses his composure, and yet…'_ Rin had so easily stole any composure he had_. 'My senses are wrong. My inner Yokai was doing nothing but screaming for me to take her. To make her my mate_.' He covered his eyes with a long eloquent hand. '_This Sesshomaru taking a human mate. How would I look to my peers and equals, and better yet, the other Lords? Hn. This feeling…_' He rubbed his temple. '_Hn. Feelings... No matter though. If this Sesshomaru ever did decide to do such a preposterous thing, I would simply annihilate any other beings who challenged my decisions._'

--

They both lay on their beds, in their chambers quietly contemplating the situation at hand. It was almost as if their minds were in synch when they thought simultaneously, _'Nothing ever stays the same._'

_-- _

**_-So... Depending on the reveiws i get, I MIGHT continue. Oh, who am i kidding. I'm updating regaurdless of the reveiws I get. Even if i just have one reader. haha I'd totally be more motivated though. PS. Expect longer chapters. -_**


	2. I move the stars for no one

-Chapter Two-

**-Chapter Two-**

**-I move the stars for no one.-**

"_There is only trouble and desire." _

_Simple Men_

"Rin!" Jaken screeched, "You know as well as I that Lord Sesshomaru waits for no one, and you will be left behind if you are not up and ready soon!"

Jaken flipped the rose pink sheets down, along with the thick matching furry quilt. After touching the bed spread, Jaken took his grubby little hand and wiped it off on his robes. He never did enjoy bright colors, or anything that smelled nice… Come to think of it, Rin never even seen him ever bathe. This didn't surprise her though, one smell of the creature confirmed her suspicions.

"Ughhh, Master Jaken…" Rin wrinkled her nose, "Do you ever…bathe?"

"OF ALL THE PROPOSTEROUS THINGS… Of course I don't! Child, do you not understand how long it has taken me to build up these secretions!" Jaken pointed a stubby green finger at his other arm, showing her the slimy bumpy flesh the was oozing yellow liquids.

Wanting to avoid any further confrontation with the smelly little toad yokai, she nodded her head and slung her legs over the side of the bed. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly slid off the bed and shivered when her feet came in contact with the cold stone floor. Rin jumped to the nearest fur rug and looked at Jaken. "Master Jaken, how long till we leave?"

"Lord Sesshomaru says we are to leave at noon, giving you…" He looked outside at the sun. "About two hours." He said in a matter-of-fact voice.

Rin rubbed her temple with her slender fingers. "Thank you Jaken. You may leave now; I want to bathe before we leave." She glared lazily at Jaken for waking her up so early. She had a good two hours to get ready, which was more than enough.

Jaken shook his head at her, "Humans and their bathing… They would be much better off if they were to never bathe, like myself!"

He continued to mumble more about bathing as Rin ushered him out of her room. She shut her doors and went to her dresser which had an assortment of lovely items atop of it. There was a vase, full of pink, white, and red roses. Near the vase was a box with a crescent moon painted on the lid, which held all the jewelry that she could ever wish for. Then finally a smaller painting in a frame of Rin sitting in the foreground on a bench out in the Garden; there was an arch way behind her with beautiful roses of all colors growing on it. Under the archway was Lord Sesshomaru himself. Paintings around the castle rarely had any images of Sesshomaru in them, for he never truly had the patience to stay stationary; however, this painting seemed to be an exception.

Rin remembered quite well though, of how this painting came to be…

Sesshomaru had arranged for Rin to have a painting made strictly of just her, so he could hang it above the fireplace in her room two years ago, when Rin was just fifteen years of age. She thought back to when she followed him out and sat on the bench and looked up at him. He looked down at her and said, "This spot will do."

She noticed the roses that surrounded her. "Lord Sesshomaru, what a lovely spot!"

He merely gave a swift nod of his head in agreement to her statement. He averted his eyes to the old owl yokai walking down the stone path towards them. The painter carried a large piece of canvas and a stand, along with his paints and brush in the other hand. He reached Sesshomaru and Rin and bowed deeply, "M'lord… and Miss Rin, it is a pleasure."

Sesshomaru gave a curt nod of his head and looked at Rin, "Rin. You are to sit here, and be still." He turned on his heels and left.

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru!" Her eyes lit up and she smiled.

So Rin sat, and let this yokai paint. He painted, and he painted, and he painted more. Rin grew restless. "Are you almost finished?" She squirmed on the bench.

"Not quite Miss Rin, it will be a few more hours." He paused looking back up at his live model.

"But the sun is almost setting… and the lunar flowers that only bloom at night, in the early spring will start to bloom for the first time this year, I have to watch them!" A worried look spread across Rin's face.

That's when Sesshomaru re-entered the scene. Rin looked at the nervous look on the painters face, and turned around to see Sesshomaru standing in the arch way. "Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin exclaimed, "I wish to see the lunar flowers bloom!" She looked nervously down at her feet. "Only if m'lord allows it."

Rin remembered the strange turn of events that occurred next. "Painter," Sesshomaru looked at the man with the brush in his hand. "You will take a break. Rin has alternative business that she will be attending to. I assume you will wait."

The painter bravely looked up at Sesshomaru and stated, "Lord Sesshomaru, one condition."

Sesshomaru should have killed this man on the spot, for even thinking he could make a deal or try to barter with him, but Rin assumed he restrained himself for her behalf. He humored the elder owl, "What is it you want from this Sesshomaru?"

He pointed to the spot Sesshomaru stood. "Stand right there, m'lord. Let me paint you into this portrait." The painter could not resist himself. Rin could see the artistic hunger to have his beautiful figure painted into the already gorgeous artwork.

Sesshomaru nodded, and motioned for Rin to follow him out of the garden.

Rin was brought out of her memory when Jaken knocked on her door. "Rin! You better not be sleeping again! I do not wish to have to lock you out of your own room!"

"No Master Jaken!"

She heard an "hmpf," on the other side of the door and foot steps slowly fading away, meaning that the imp had left. She returned to the dresser, and got a fresh kimono out and undergarments and glanced up at the portrait on her dresser. A smile graced Rin's face. She walked to the indoor hot spring, which was between her and Sesshomaru's room. She entered the room and washed off, then slid into the hot spring, adding light rose scented oils to it. She relaxed.

She slipped back into her memories, and went back to when she was following Lord Sesshomaru out of the garden away from the painter as the sun was going down. She remembered how brilliantly the golden pinkish light reflected off of Sesshomaru's white hair and how he gracefully glided in front of her, looking completely perfect. They walked to a seemingly empty open field, and Sesshomaru stopped. Rin walked a step past him, and took a seat, and looked backwards at him and smiled softly. She thought about how excited she was when the sun had disappeared over the tree line.

How she was so easily pleased, she could not remember. Then it hit her. The sun light disappeared, and the moon light replaced it. The light from the moon swept over the open field like a wave of water, and beautiful silvery purple flowers began to bloom. The sight left her in complete awe. "Lord Sesshomaru!" she looked turned her head and looked up at him, "Now this is a sight truly worth painting." She turned back and continued gazing at the lunar flowers.

She could have picked them, but had she done so, the blooms would be gone the next morning, retreating back into their buds. They do not remain when the sun comes up. She heard a ruffle of clothes behind her, and looked backwards again. He had gone. It was no matter though, Sesshomaru had never been one to sit and gaze at flowers anyways. Rin stood up and walked into the field and sat surrounding herself with the flowers. Then so she remained for hours and hours of the night. She lost herself in thought, thinking on life its self and certain memories of the past.

Something made a noise. It was Sesshomaru, standing on the edge of where the flowers started. She stood, and started walking back to him, then paused. Rin remembered feeling slightly shocked, seeing the old painter holding a painting with care, and smiling. "You were a lovely subject to paint, Miss Rin, I am pleased I have the pleasure to paint two of you in one day!"

Rin looked at Sesshomaru, "Two of me?"

The painter yelled again, "Why yes my dear! Lord Sesshomaru…" He was cut off by Sesshomaru clearing his throat, and then continued. "I could not pass up the opportunity to paint such a lovely girl in such a lovely setting!"

Rin shifted in the hot spring and was smiling from remembering how Sesshomaru had brought the painter so she could save that image for forever. '_Lord Sesshomaru has always been so kind to me, even if he never emotionally showed me._' She froze and thoughts of the previous night once again flooded her mind. '_It is natural for me to feel love towards Lord Sesshomaru, but for him to have feelings toward me?_'

She was brought from her thoughts when the other door from Sesshomaru's room opened up, and she heard light footsteps walking toward the spring. Surely with Sesshomaru's keen sense of smell, he had known she was in the spring… But then again, he has had a lot on his mind recently.

--

Sesshomaru walked through the halls of his great estate. Servants, soldiers, and others employed at the castle were constantly running back and forth to Jaken and himself, making the preparations for them to leave. Making sure to keep security in place, and things up and running Sesshomaru would tell them their orders, and try to escape to less occupied areas of the area. An idea hit him; the west wing where his room was located was always less occupied, for all the worked of the castle knew their lord enjoyed his privacy.

Sesshomaru entered his room and looked around. Quiet. No worker running around pestering him about minute things. Pounding came from his door, and he heard Jaken's annoying voice come from the other side. "Lord Sesshomaru! Are you in there?" He knew quite well that Sesshomaru was on the other side, but Jaken knew better to ask him to come out.

He stayed silent.

"Lord Sesshomaru?"

Still nothing.

Then the other side of the door fell silent, and Sesshomaru could hear Jaken leave him be. Sesshomaru then retreated towards the door to his hot spring; surely this would ease his busy mind. He opened the door and closed it behind him and he began removing his armor, and clothing. Little did he know that Rin was on the opposite side of the spring, beneath all the steam.

Rin gazed up and across the spring to him. There Sesshomaru stood half naked in front of her. She looked at his bear chest, and how built he was. The steam landed on him, making his chest glisten. Rin became nervous. _'Lord Sesshomaru will surely be very angry with me if I do not say anything…_'

Then, an idea hit her. She would move in the water and make some noise and pretend that she did not see him. That way, he could leave quietly and hopefully not be angry with her. So, Rin submerged her self under the water, and came back up, and gasped for air. Then, something unexpected happened. "Rin." He called to her.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" She questioned him, even though she knew fully well that he had been standing in that same spot the whole time.

He gave no response, as she assumed he wouldn't but instead, she heard footsteps coming towards her. **His footsteps. **Rin lowered herself further into the water, until it was touching her chin. The water had long become murky, and she turned around to where he stood. He looked down at her, and took a seat on the wood floor, in front of a small boulder like rock. "M'lord…" Rin leaned up and hugged the rock, popping her head out above it.

He simply looked at her and remained silent.

'_What could he be thinking_?' Rin asked herself.

Sesshomaru looked at her. Indeed he had not realized she was in the spring until he stepped inside and took off his armor. When the smell of slight rose oil, and Rin filled his nose, he discovered he was yet again not alone. Yet for some reason, _'Rin's company does not make me wish to leave and seek other solitude._' Sesshomaru thought to himself as he cut his eyes over at her.

Her head and shoulders were now peaking over the boulder and she was looking at him with interest. A deep blush spread across her face and at the base of her neck when she realized that he seen she was staring. This entertained Sesshomaru. "It would seem as if…" he caught himself. He almost _confessed_ his feelings. His _interests _towards her.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin looked at him curiously.

She took notice that his pants now clung to him, from the steam and his chest was shining more than ever. Feelings rolled around inside her, and it felt as if a small fire was lit in her stomach. She blushed again.

Sesshomaru looked at her, and raised an eyebrow at her. '_No. Enough of this_.' He stood up.

Looking down, he could see her chest pushed up against the rock, and the water droplets rolling down her. She slipped back into the water again, blushing more deeply this time. '_Great. I just gave lord Sesshomaru a peep show_.' The idea of this though, did not bother her as much as she expected though. Her blush eased.

"You are content with me seeing your body?" He looked at her with his eyebrow raised again.

Rin blushed furiously again, "I… well…" She didn't continue. She couldn't bear to tell Sesshomaru the truth, because she knew that he would no longer allow her to stay.

"Do not hide any truth from me, Rin. Nor do I want you to lie. I can smell their approach before they even leave ones tongue." Sesshomaru continued looking at her.

Rin knew she was fighting a losing battle. "Lord Sesshomaru, I do not wish to tell you the truth, because if I do… I don't think you'll want me to stay here any longer."

"Rin, as I've told you, your presence is of pure free will. I shall not make you leave, nor make you stay." A grin pulled at the corner of his mouth. Curiosity once again began to take over his body. He leaned down over the boulder and placed a hand on Rin's cheek. She moved closer to him through the water and looked up at him. His emotionless mask was gone, and he was looking at her with deep interest.

He inhaled deeply. Roses mixed with Rin's natural scent filled his nose. '_Her scent is indescribable._' A grin played across his face. He leaned back down to meet her gaze with his. He took his hand that rested on her cheek and with a clawed finger, gently ran it down her neck, and over her chest. Her eyes fluttered shut and chill bumps found their way to the surface of her skin.

Then a knock followed by a loud screeching voice from Rin's side of the room. "Lord Sesshomaru! I cannot find Rin! I left her to change, and now… well… she's just gone!" Sesshomaru's face returned to its normal state, and Rin's eyes shot open.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru called. "You are to leave; I shall take care of the matter soon."

"Yes M'lord, sorry to bother you!" Jaken squealed and the pitter patter away from the door announced that he had left.

Sesshomaru looked down at Rin again. "You have escaped answers this time, but next time; do not even begin to think that this Sesshomaru will be as lenient next time."

Rin could do nothing but nod, and watch as he gracefully left the room. She stood up and stepped out of the spring and dawned a towel and dried off. '_How… How… Infuriating!_' This was one of the few and select seldom times Rin could ever remember being anywhere near angry with Lord Sesshomaru. '_I do not expect him to return my feelings… But for him to toy with them? For him to demand me to spill my heart to him, when I know that he would not know what to do with the response he would receive from me?_' Rin pulled on her white traveling kimono with orange patterns on it. '_Part of me wants to tell him though_...' Rin frowned. She brushed out her long dark brown locks, and grabbed her full traveling bag, and made her way to her chamber door, for she needed to go to the main hall to meet Jaken and Sesshomaru.

Before Rin opened the door, she glanced over at the fireplace and the portrait that hung above it. The painting held the portrait of the lunar flowers, with her sitting in the middle of them. 'hah. And they say that Sesshomaru isn't thoughtful or caring.' She grinned, and left to meet Jaken.

--

Sesshomaru pulled on a new hakama, followed by his haori after stepping out of an alternative bath. _'Why should I, Sesshomaru, great Lord of the West, leave my spring, just to let a human finish in it? Why did I retreat to a different area of my castle just to do so?'_ He left the bathing room doors and began walking towards the main hall to meet Rin and Jaken.

"Hn." He said aloud walking the halls. "This Sesshomaru moves the stars for no one." A image of Rin played through his thoughts.

An invisible force pulled at Sesshomaru's soul. He just shook his head when his mind wandered back to these so called "feelings."

--

**Authors note: dood. Yeah. Review pleaseee! I welcome compliments as well as criticism, so hit the review button and make me happy!**


	3. Dreaming of you

-Chapter Three-

**-Chapter Three-**

**-Dreaming of you-**

"_It __takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."  
__-Erma Bombeck_

Rin stood at the waters periphery silently stalking several fish in the pond. Darkness was slowly creeping in, and she knew she had to return to the group's camp site. '_Right about… NOW!_' Rin yelled in her head and scooped up the last fish she needed and placed it in the fish net bag with the other five and some small lizards, which Jaken also liked.

--

Day one of their journey consisted of a days walking in -almost- complete silence, with the exception of Rin, who would randomly start singing. Jaken's eye brow twitched in irritation, and he yelled, "Rin stop that horrendous singing! If we must travel together again, I do not wish to…" Jaken was cut off by Sesshomaru.

"Jaken. Leave her be." Sesshomaru glared at the imp.

"Oh, oh yes m'lord! Forgive me for my…" he was cut off again.

"Enough." Sesshomaru said as he averted his gaze back to the trail in front of them leaving Jaken to just silently follow, bowing his head in defeat.

It had finally been time to set up camp after a long day of travel, and rest for the night. Rin dug out a pit and began to gather sticks, and other flammable objects to start a cooking fire with. Rin looked around and began to think out loud, "Hmmm. I wonder if there is a near by pond or stream I could catch some fish in…"

"Rin," Sesshomaru called out to her. Rin's attention snapped to the tall demon lord standing in front of her.

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru?"

He didn't reply but merely pointed a long slender finger to the west, where Rin assumed he could smell water. She nodded and grinned at him, gathering the fish-net bag out of her larger bag, which was on Ah-Un's back. Happily she headed in the direction Sesshomaru had pointed her to, and found the pond.

--

With the fish and lizards in hand, she began her trip back to the campsite humming softly as she walked. A shadow flashed across her vision, that was shaped in the form of a person. She paused. Rin did not sense anything hostile… But what was that shadow? She shruged. '_Oh well_.' Rin thought to herself, and she continued all the way back to the camp without stopping.

--

Sesshomaru watched Rin fumble around with a nest of lizards at the base of a tree. '_Despite Jaken's criticism, she still shows him respect and compassion_.' He watched her smile in contentment as she packed them away in her net, and continued on to the pond. Staying out of site and in the shadows, Sesshomaru watched her as she gathered all six fish. Realization set in and he remembered she would be traveling along through where he now stood, and he needed to move. He darted quickly in front of her to get back to camp before her, only allowing Rin to catch a glimpse of his shadow.

--

Rin walked back into camp, smiling from ear to ear. She looked over at Jaken who was lighting the fire with his staff of two heads, then she glanced over at Sesshomaru, who was leaned up against a tree with his eyes shut. She knew he wasn't sleeping, for it was too early in the afternoon, but probably just resting; After all, Lord Sesshomaru was a very busy Lord, who probably didnt get as much sleep as a demon of his stature would need. 'Which isn't that much... But still.' She thought to herself as she Walked over to the fire. As Rin sat down on her knees, she placed the fish (and the lizards) on sticks, and stuck the sticks in the ground for them to cook near the fire.

"Oh Rin!" Jaken happily squealed, "Lizards! Such a delicacy… Why… They are even better when they are found wild and cooked over a fire!"

Rin simply laughed and then soon after shuddered at the thought of eating a lizard. On their travels to find Naraku, she often had to get by with whatever she could catch to eat… Including the nasty lizards. When they finally finished their journey, and Naraku dead; Rin swore off lizards for the rest of her life.

The sun began to set, and she turned the uncooked side of their food towards the fire. Kicking her sandals off, she pulled her foot up into her lap and rubbed at her sore ankle. '_I forgot how tiring it is to travel all day…_' Rin thought to herself. '_I assumed the exercise I got from running around the castle, and training with various weapons would keep me in shape_.' She sighed out loud.

Sesshomaru opened his eyes at the sound of her sigh, and watched her rub at her ankle. How fragile humans were… Rin though, Rin was not so fragile. Despite her soreness, Sesshomaru knew she would wake up the next morning, and follow without a complaint, and have a smile spread across her face. A disgusting smell of scorched lizard filled his nose. '_Burning…_'

"Rin." He grabbed her attention, and she looked over to him.

He nodded his head towards the fire, and she realized one of Jaken's several lizards had caught on fire. "Oh no!"

Jaken, who was tending to Ah-Un ran over and began screeching at Rin, "You silly girl! You always show such a lack in attention! Running into me, tripping over branches, burning my lizards! At this rate, you'll never find a man to tolerate you. Who wants a housewife that can't even…"

"Jaken," Sesshomaru cut off the toad noticing the tears welling up in Rin's eyes. "You will not speak to Rin in such a manner again." His glare from his eyes alone sent chills down Jaken's spine.

Rin stood up and turned her back away from the fire, walked back to the pond where she caught the fish, and sat down at the waters edge. From camp Sesshomaru could smell her tears. "Jaken. Place the fish away from the fire so they don't burn by the time Rin comes back."

Jaken bowed and simply replied with a, "Yes M'lord."

Sesshomaru went after Rin, for reasons unknown to him. That strange tugging feeling at his chest maybe…

--

'Jaken's right…' Rin sniffled. 'How am I supposed to impress Lord Sesshomaru, if I couldn't even make a human man happy?' She looked down at her reflection in the water. Tear trails were visible through the light ash and dirt that had accumulated on face throughout the day. Angrily, she slammed her hand down at the water. 'I can't even be strong, like Lord Sesshomaru. These tears, which he believes is a weakness just keep me even farther from him.'

Sesshomaru stood a yard away, and watched her strike out at the water. Deciding to come out of seclusion he questioned her, "Rin, what makes the toads words tear at you so?"

She jumped before she realized that he was standing behind her. "Lord Sesshomaru…" She glanced at him, then quickly turned her face away.

'I can't let him see me in this weak state…' she thought frantically.

"Why do you hide your face from this Sesshomaru? Have you decided I am no longer pleasing to look at any longer?" He grinned inwardly.

This last statement made Rin giggle and blush at the same time. Deciding to play his game she turned around and wiped her face with the sleeve of her kimono. "You - no longer pleasing to look at? Maybe when hell freezes over."

Sesshomaru had never seen this cocky side that Rin had, nor had he heard any foul word come from her mouth… even one as small as hell. He grinned and raised an eye brow. "So you are pleased with this Sesshomaru?"

"I am, M'lord." She smiled lovingly at him.

He stood and turned around. "We must travel a long distance tomorrow. It would do us well to get back to the campsite. You especially, for I know that you are sore from today's journey."

Rin nodded and followed him back to camp. She walked over to Ah-Un and got her blanket and placed it under a tree, near where the fire was. '_The fish!_' She thought and walked to retrieve them. She noticed the four that was left, for Jaken apparently finished his lizards, and had a few fish as well. Rin looked up at Sesshomaru, "Lord Sesshomaru! The fish, they are cooked," She smiled up happily at him.

He looked down at her. How pleased she was, that she had once again cooked fish, and made extra for him. He never liked his food as "well done" as Rin had, but always ate it, to make sure her feelings were never hurt. "Rin, for future reference…" he began and looked into her eyes, "I prefer mine to be… Less cooked."

She nodded and continued to eat along side Sesshomaru, whom also consumed his fish. Standing back up, she walked to her blanket under the tree and lied down, and was soon overcome by sleep. He could also hear Jaken mumble gibberish, over beside Ah-Un. His eyes returned back to the sleeping Rin under the tree, and he watched her shiver. 'She's cold.' Without thinking he walked over and sat beside her under the tree, leaning his back against it. He took his fluffy Mokomoko-sama off his shoulder and placed it over her waist, and between her body and his. He felt her cuddle into it, and he looked down at her sleeping form.

Rin began to talk in her sleep. Normally, Sesshomaru or Jaken would wake her, and tell her of her actions, but she let something slip in her sleep. Maybe now he could get the answers he wanted. "Lord Sesshomaru… I…" She cuddled into his warmth more making her speech inaudible. She then repositioned her face so she could breathe. "feelings… for you." His eyes opened wide. He had half expected this, from her reactions from the last two previous nights at the castle. His gaze traveled back down to her when he felt her cringe. "Lord… Sesshomaru… I, I didn't want to tell…" Her dream had turned to a nightmare. "Do not make me leave!" She shouted in her sleep.

She silently cried into his Mokomoko-sama, and the smell of tears filled his nose. 'I must wake her.' He took hold of her shoulder and rolled her over and called her name, "Rin… Rin."

Rin's eyes slowly drifted open. She looked up at him in shock, most likely she hadn't established that she was awake. "Lord Sesshomaru… I…"

His single word cut her off. "Nightmare." He watched her face relax.

'_I could not have let her know I had listened to her sleep_.' His arrogance took over his mind. _'This Sesshomaru does whatever he wishes. Her feeling awkward about it was no concern of his._' He pushed that side of him back to the far edge of his mind. '_I do care for this girl.'_ Sesshomaru could no longer deny the feeling that consumed his entire being.

Rin's eyes drifted back down, and she once again fell asleep. This sleep though, was deeper, more comforted, more peaceful. She did not toss, turn, or talk in this sleep. She quietly slumbered for the rest till he woke her up, to prepare for the days journey.

"Rin." He nudged her and woke her up. "It is time to pack back up, and continue our journey."

She looked up and nodded at him remembering what she had dreamed, and being woken up by Sesshomaru himself. He had been sitting … Unusually close. Her face turned a deep pink, remembering what had happened. '_I hope that I didn't sleep talk last night…_' She folded her blanket and gave it to Jaken to put on Ah-Un. She walked to Sesshomaru who was standing on the far end of the camp looking up at the near by tree.

"Sesshomaru…" She walked closer to him preparing what she should say to question him last night.

He knew she would approach him and ask him about the situation, he just didn't expect it to be so soon. He turned to her. "Sesshomaru, did you… Hear-anything last night?" Her eyes darted down to the ground in embarrassment.

"Indeed I did." He pulled her chin up to look at him.

"How much did you happen to hear?"

He noticed the embarrassment in her voice. "Enough."

"I…" Sesshomaru cut her off again not letting her try to explain herself.

"Hold fast to dreams for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." She just looked at him.

'_Is he trying to tell me something?_' She merely looked up at him as he turned around and walked back to camp.

"Jaken, I assume you have everything ready to go?"

"Why, yes Lord Sesshomaru!" After last nights show, Jaken was making sure to stay on Sesshomaru's good side. Jaken would rather work until he couldn't move, than be on Sesshomaru's extreme bad side. His wrath was far worse than any soreness or fatigue he had ever experienced… Jaken shuddered at the thought. No more of that now. He needs to keep his wits about him, so he doesn't mess anything up.

The trio took off, on their way to the lower regions of the land. Things were quiet between the group, but as Rin recalls, this is how things always were. The old travels consisted of Sesshomaru threatening Jaken, or Rin singing or playing games. Then, the idea hit her. "Jaken, Jaken!"

Jaken looked up at her, "What is it Rin?"

"Let's play that game, that we used to play on our old travels called… Uh." She looked down at the ground deep in thought. She couldn't remember the name of the game.

"What game, Rin?" Jaken was questioning her making sure to avoid hurting her feelings.

Instead of taking too much time thinking of the games name, Rin decided to describe it instead. "You remember, you repeat everything I say? The tongue twisters?"

Jaken grinned for her sake, "Ohhh oh yes!"

"Ok! I'll start! Red Jaken Gold Jaken Green Jaken Blue Jaken!" She yelled really fast.

"Red Jaken Gold Jaken Green Jaken Blue Jaken!" Jaken said back slower. He smiled, remembering that he actually liked this game.

"Okayyy. Red Jaken Gold Jaken Green Jaken Blue Jaken Green Jaken Gold Jaken!"

"Hmmm! Red Jaken Green Jaken Gold Jaken Blue Jaken Gold Jaken Green Jaken!"

"HA! I win again master Jaken!" Rin beamed with happiness.

Jaken furrowed his brow in frustration. "Why Rin… I!!" He stopped himself, and glanced up at Lord Sesshomaru who had cut an eye over at him. "Good Job Rin!" He saved himself and plastered a false smile across his face.

The group continued on, quietly, but Sesshomaru's mind had erupted into a war, fighting over his heart, his pride; and Rin was caught right in the middle.

* * *

_Mokomoko-sama__: this is the fluffy boa-ish thing that Sesshomaru wears over his shoulder, and it was named this by Rumiko Takahashi, herself._

* * *

**A/N: So, this chapter was a whole 3 pages shorter than I wanted it to be, but I unfortunately I have writers block and I need a good nights sleep. BUT sleep is what fixes it. Don't worry, I'll have another chapter up soon! Promise! Click that review button, and give me some motivation! :D**


	4. L Bomb

* * *

-Chapter Four-

**-Chapter Four-**

**-The L bomb-**

**-"**_Courage is doing what you're afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you're scared._**"**

**-**_Eddie Rickenbacker_

"Jaken." Sesshomaru called forth his little impish companion, while rubbing the bridge of his nose out of irritation.

"Yes M'lord?" The little toad scurried over to Sesshomaru's feet, and waited for his master to reply.

"You are to take Ah-Un to the nearest body of water and let him drink, then give him food. Once you have done this, allow him to drink again and do not think about returning until you have done so." Sesshomaru's gaze remained emotionless as he watched Jaken bow, and take off to find Ah-Un.

The group had covered a vast amount of land today, leaving Rin limping from soreness in her feet and ankles. When the day was almost over, she had to resort to mounting Ah-Un and riding the rest of the way for today. Sesshomaru had merely looked back at her and didn't say anything, while Jaken rambled on about some sort of strange food, considered a delicacy from where he came from. He always did have the strangest taste in food, but he never questioned it; for food from home, is like comfort food… So he always let him be.

When they had gone as far as they would travel in a day, they stopped in an area deep in the woods. Rin took a deep breath, and inhaled all of nature's natural perfumes. Jumping off Ah-Un, she walked to the middle of the area and began digging a fire pit. She need not concern herself with cooking tonight, for on the way they stopped at a small village and ate at a stand. Despite the strange looks Rin continued getting for traveling with two demons, she enjoyed herself, and the food, and also took some in her bag to go.

The fire pit was dug, the sticks in place, now all Rin needed was for Jaken to come back to start it. She took a seat near the pit, took off her sandals, pulled off her socks, and started rubbing her ankles. Rin hit a sore spot and winced. She rubbed back over it, this time more gently. "Mmmm." Rin let a small moan escape her mouth, without thinking.

Sesshomaru heard, and he cut an eye over at her. He could literally see her muscles in her leg and ankle relax as she rubbed tenderly at it. Rin would never complain though. '_She's quite unlike any other human I've ever seen_.'

He walked up to her side and took a seat next to her. They sat in silence as Rin rubbed at her ankle. Sesshomaru thought back to earlier in the day…

--

Rin had just beaten Jaken in the game that tested ones memory. Maybe if Rin hadn't won, leaving Jaken a sore loser, Sesshomaru might not have had to cut an eye over at Jaken to keep him inline. His mind flashed to Rin. '_Why must I constantly defend her, from the toad? It matters not to me, if he bothers her in such a way._' He glanced over at the impish companion, and back to her. _**'Liar.' **_He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the second voice in his mind. This voice was much like the other, but in its words held emotion. He assumed it to be his good voice of reason.

'_A human queen of the Western lands? Preposterous. I've become far too much like my father. A wise move on my behalf would be to mate with the southern lord's daughter. ' _Sesshomaru thought about the meeting he had with the loud and pushy Lord of the South, and his daughter. Her smell reeked of another's, and he knew she would not be fully his. This princess was nothing more than used commodities.

--

"SO! Lord Sesshomaru! What do you think of my daughter? You may come soon and pick her up, to be mated…" The Southern lord asked looking very anxious as he walked Sesshomaru out of the castle.

"Not necessary." The taiyoukai responded before turning his back to the Lord of the South. His face was emotionless still, as he continued. "She has been previously taken by the Eastern Lords son. Taking her with me to mark as my mate would start an unnecessary war, which I do not wish to take part in." With that he left the Lord of the South awestricken.

--

He snapped back to reality and continued thinking about Rin. '_Would I be so conflicted, had I not heard her speak in her dream last night?' _His chest throbbed; He yearned for her.

_**'What is it that I worry about? I'm Lord of the West. I can dispose of anyone who would defy me, or my decision of whom I shall mate with.'**_ The desire in his soul lashed out, pulling at his thoughts. _**'Besides…I've never been one to deny myself of any of my desires.' **_Maybe this voice wasn't so _good_ after all.

--

"Rin." Sesshomaru turned to face her. She discontinued rubbing her ankle, and turned around as well, giving Sesshomaru her full attention.

"Yes Lord Sesshomaru?" Tension found its way to the surface of her voice making her stutter, which didn't go unnoticed by the taiyoukai sitting in front of her.

"You will tell this Sesshomaru your answer to my question, from our run in at the castle." He stated more than asked.

Her heart fluttered beneath her chest. '_Sesshomaru never misses a beat, does he?'_

"N-no. It did not bother me my lord, even if you believe it should have."

"I believe no such things; but answer me this, why did you remain so content that night, knowing my eyes had seen more than they should have."

Sesshomaru mentally caught himself. '_I see what I wish to see. Regardless of other opinions.'_ His attention focused back on Rin, as he watched her squirm in her seat, clearly un eased.

"Because, you are Lord Sesshomaru; you are permitted to do as you wish."

'_She hides behind safe answers, which she believes I wish to hear.' _He contemplated.

"Rin; why do you lie to this Sesshomaru? It is not very becoming of you."

"Lord Sesshomaru, would you go as far as calling the incomplete truth a lie?" She had never avoided answering any questions Sesshomaru would ask. But why now? She stood up, and picked up the access sticks and threw them into the unlit fire. She had not planned though, for Sesshomaru to stand up as well.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he walked to her. Leaning over, he spoke more softly in a half whisper, and replied, "If that incomplete truth was coming from your own lips, I would go as far as calling it a **vicious **lie."

She shuddered, and Sesshomaru could feel the heat pulsing off her body.

"If you do not wish to answer, tell me this…" His voice once again turned to a softer, whisper like tone. "Do you _fear_ this Sesshomaru?"

Rin breathed in deeply, and then replied, "I do not fear anything, for you said your self…It is a weakness."

That was all Sesshomaru needed to hear; as his other self soon began to take over. Within a mere eye blink, he had her lifted up off the ground, and backed against a tree.

He Smirked.

"So you do not fear my touch?" He ran a long clawed hand down the side of her face, down her neck, and into the fold of her kimono and onto one of her breasts, kneading it softly.

A small moan escaped Rin's lips. "I welcome it, m'lord."

"Then what of my kisses…" He asked, trailing kiss after kiss down her neck and stopping at her collar bone.

"Also welcome…" Rin's eyes were lustfully glazing over.

Sesshomaru could smell her arousal. '_Yes…'_ He mused at her reactions to the slightest touch. _'She will be mine…_' He brought his lips up to hers, and hungrily kissed her.

Their lips broke apart and Rin surfaced for air. Breathing heavily Rin looked into Sesshomaru's eyes. "I'm ready to answer your question from the castle."

His eyes gazed curiously back at her as she prepared herself for her next statement. She hesitantly began to give him the answer he was seeking, "It is because… Lord Sesshomaru," She paused again and looked to the sky, then back into his amber eyes, "I love you."

He froze.

'_It wasn't as if This Sesshomaru hadn't seen it coming…What is it that makes me so shocked? Nothing has ever shocked me._' He felt her stiffen.

'_**Maybe the RETURN of the feeling?'**_ Then it dawned on him. He had just spent the whole two minutes staring at her, without saying a word.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Her eyes never leaving the forest floor, "Tell me, what do you fear? Do you fear letting someone in behind those thick walls of yours?" She glared up at him. "I wish for you to set me down, and allow me to," She paused. She needed an excuse to get away, as far away as humanly possible from Sesshomaru. Not only had she just spilled her heart out to him but, she had also just watched him stare at her, while a shocked look played upon his face, through his emotionless mask. "I need to go to the spring we passed."

Sesshomaru said nothing, but placed her down. She turned around and walked past the tree in search for the hot spring.

'_This Sesshomaru fears nothing.'_

_'__** This Sesshomaru is also a liar.'**_

* * *

He watched.

She leaned over and felt the hot springs temperature. Deciding it was ok, she began to untie her obi. She gently placed it on a rock, and finally slid her kimono off and placed it at her obi's side. He drank in her perfect form, her toned muscles from training, the natural arch in her back, and her beautiful hair that danced around her. This human, _his Rin,_ was perfection personified, in a human body. She stepped gently into the hot spring and lowered herself into the water. She shuddered.

He smelled.

He inhaled her scent. Somehow, she had always managed to keep her rosy scent, which now became mingled with his. Now; however, she smelled like a rose that he picked, and was now crying. Sesshomaru's nose crinkled at the salty smell of tears. '_This Sesshomaru has caused her pain…' _

He listened.

Her sobs were silent at first, and then she just began to let them out. They consumed the area, and filled the forest. It was much like a song bird, who strayed too far from its nest. The sound was in a sense beautiful, yet filled with sorrow. What stopped Sesshomaru from just walking to her, holding her, comforting her, and telling her he loved her back? Ego? Pride? Was he just all together too vain, to do so?

Rin pulled her pruned hand from the water. Looking down at it, she realized she had lingered in the spring far too long. Would it even be possible to go back to Sesshomaru now? '_Where else could I go? I have no home or family…' _She stood, stepped out of the hot spring being careful not to trip on any rocks, and grabbed her towel like cloth to dry off on.

Sesshomaru continued to gaze at her as she was drying off. How goddess-like she looked, standing in her bare skin, in front of the hot spring. The moon beams illuminated her body, making it seem like she glowed on her own. '_I should just take her now.' _His mind lingered on how pleasurable she was to touch. How responsive she was to everything he did. Sesshomaru quietly stepped forward, and then stopped. '_**She would never forgive me.'**_ He stepped backwards.

Rin pulled her kimono on, sat on a rock, and leaned her back against a larger boulder behind her. '_I don't really know what I was thinking… It's almost like; I half expected to say it back.' _She frowned. '_The way he touched me… kissed me even, was so passionate. It just seemed like he was on the verge of telling me something.' _A tear ran down her cheek. _'I will go back to him, even if I have to pretend like nothing went on between us…'_

Sesshomaru looked around and smelled the air. '_Nothing?'_ This was impossible. He looked around wildly looking for the demon whose aura was raging through the air. Nothing. Then realization hit him. '_The spring…' _A snake like demon lurched up out of the water and clung tightly around Rin.

"LORD SESSHOMARUUU!" Rin screamed in fear as the snake pulled her backwards and into the water.

Sesshomaru bolted with god like speed, but it was already too late. The snake pulled her under the water, and Rin was nowhere to be seen; leaving the great inu standing at the waters edge in a silent rage.

--

Water droplets were dripping off the caves ceiling onto Rin's porcelain face. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and she attempted to look at her surroundings. Darkness had engulfed the whole cave. _'Whatever has brought me to this place, made sure I was deep enough into the cave, so I couldn't find my way out.' _Panic began to squeeze at her chest as Rin desperately tried to guess which way was out. She was to either stay where she was and wait for that creature that snatched her from the hot spring to come back, or aimlessly wander through the cave.

"Woman, what ailsssssssss you ssssssso?" A snake-like voice asked from the darkness.

Rin remained silent, and tried to pinpoint where the voice came from. If she could just find out where he was, she could strike out and maybe have a fraction of a chance of escaping. "You do not wissshhh to tell me? Ssssso be it. I sssshall look into your thoughtssss. Then, I will take you from your pain."

A cold scale covered hand reached out and pressed his palm to Rin's forehead, backing her into the cave wall. Rin shook and her eyelids became heavy, her mind drifting into itself. She was surrounded by a pink haze, when all of a sudden… -Thump- She landed on the forest floor. '_Where am I? What is so familiar about this place?' _Realization set in, and Rin knew where she had been taken to. "Demon, why have you taken me to this place? The place where Naraku, the evil half demon was slain, years ago." She looked around the scarred earth where a great battle had just taken place, trying to find him.

"Woman, I have taken you no where. I have simply taken your _mind_ to a memory that has brought pain to your heart. Come."

Rin followed. '_I fear if I leave this demons side, while in my own thoughts like this, I may become stuck here forever. That is a chance I don't not want to take.' _

The snake yokai stopped and pointed to where the slain Naraku laid. Rin remembered the day quite clearly. Sesshomaru brought down Tenseiga the sword of the heavens as Inuyasha lashed out with his sword Tetsusaiga - sword of the Earth, combining the attack with a sacred arrow from Kagome, the great miko from the future, and mate to Inuyasha. Kagura had managed to get the child, (the heart of Naraku) and slay it, before Naraku finished her off, by destroying her actual heart.

The battle was over, and Inuyasha was greatly injured. Rin watched as Kagome ran to his side, and held him. "I'm fine Kagome…" Inuyasha looked into Kagome's eyes lovingly. "What's important, is that Naraku's finally gone once and for all."

Kagome leaned down and kissed Inuyasha.

Rin and the snake demon's eyes averted to somewhere else at the sound of a loud "Hn." Sesshomaru, Jaken, and her younger self were walking away from the scene. A look of utter disgust played across Sesshomaru's face. That same familiar sadness from that day enveloped Rin once again as she looked to the snake and said, "Enough."

The snake looked back at her, "As you wish, but we have yet to visit another memory." Before she could protest, the snake slammed his palm against her forehead once again.

* * *

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry this new chapter took so long, I ended up going away for a couple of days, and didn't have a chance to write this chapter. Expect another update around Monday-ish! Reveiwwww please!**

* * *

Ps. Incase anyone was wondering, the normal Italics when Sesshomaru is thinking is just his normal thought process. The Bold italics is his… well… voice of reason.


	5. Wake me up

-Chapter Five-

**-Chapter Five-**

**-Wake me up-**

**-"**_Hope, dangles on a string; like slow spinning redemption, winding in, and winding out."_**-**

**-Dashboard Confessional.**

The same familiar pink haze began to swallow Rin along with the snake that drug her into her own thoughts. This pink mist seemed somewhat calming… Relaxing. At least it would have been, had there not been a deep throbbing sadness that beat violently at her heart when she thought back to the look Sesshomaru dawned on his face at the sight of his half demon brother kissing a human woman. Had humans really been SO awful from his perspective?

'_Sesshomaru has been as caring as he possibly ever could be towards me… A human_.' Maybe it was the miko, specifically; that he disliked being with one of his own kind. Such a preposterous act was a sin for one of his own kind.

_Thud._ Rin's feet came in contact with a cold stone floor sending chills up her legs. There would be time to ponder over this situation later, for the pink fog was beginning to dissipate into the air, and elaborate castle walls began to swim into her vision. The were standing to the left of Sesshomaru, whom was sitting at the head of a long table filled with Lord of the North, East, and South along with a few of their advisors, then Rin herself, whom was seated to Sesshomaru's Right. Rin remembered the meaning of this meeting quite vividly. The Lords had all come together to decide which of their daughters would become mated to Sesshomaru.

Fathers naturally want their young to mate into strong bloodlines, wealth, and power. All of which were things Sesshomaru had an abundance of; not to mention that the daughters father would have an unbreakable alliance with the West.

Rin's Attention averted to the built panther demon sitting to Sesshomaru's left. This was the Lord of the South. From what Rin could tell, this yokai was pushy, arrogant, and shady. A loud grunt from The Southern Lord brought all eyes to focus upon him. "Hmph. Sesshomaru I still say that you've made a big mistake boy for pushing my daughter out of the picture while it is still too early in the game to do so." The other lords sighed and looked back towards Sesshomaru waiting for him to respond to the arrogant lord.

Sesshomaru cut an eye over at a nervous looking Eastern lord. He knew all too well that his eldest son, who was next in line to rule his lands, was fooling around with the Southern lord's daughter. A swift nod in acknowledgement to the Lord of the east seemed to instantly settle him down. A war with an alliance he had kept his ally for years and years was not something Sesshomaru wanted to take part in. "It would be wise to not send light hearted threats towards me."

The Southern lords' face became flustered, leaving him to look down at the floor to soothe his hurt pride. Sesshomaru looked towards the Northern Lord and began speaking. "As of now, the most suitable mate for myself and for the good of the lands would be the princess of the North." He noted the eased expression on the Lords face and then continued, "However;" Sesshomaru paused once again looking around the table at all the Yokai sitting with him, "I do not plan on taking any action upon the matter of a mate anytime soon. This meeting is now over." Their was a brief murmur amongst the other Lords, then soon they filed out of the castle one by one.

Rin's eyes dropped to the ground. '_How could I have forgotten that Sesshomaru has basically picked his mate already?_'

Guilt flooded her mind. '_It was so selfish of me… To want him for myself. How could I have even thought there was a chance for me when these other women brought so much more to the table? Beauty, respect, and an alliance I might add_.'

"Woman." The snake yokai breached her thoughts yet again.

"What do you want from me demon? What is it that you gain from seeing these thoughts?" Tears began to form at the corners of Rin's eyes.

"That'ssssssss none of your consssssern mistress." The snake-man's tongue flickered outside of its mouth. "We have one more thought to visssssssit."

Without any further response, Rin stood and waiting until the same familiar palm pressed against her forehead once again allowing the pink mist to cloud her vision.

_Splash. _Warm water swallowed her body as the hot spring she fell in finished materializing out of thin air. This was a quite peculiar situation… She sat in the hot spring, remembering its warmth, yet; she remained slightly dry, minus the soaked clothes she had on from entering the cave. It did kind of make sense though come to think of it, '_I'm not technically IN the hot spring, just merely remembering it_.'

She looked around and seen her other self, with her bare back to her as she leaned up against the rock looking up at Sesshomaru. "Such a tease." Rin muttered under her breath, catching the serpent's attention.

"You desire this Lord Sesshomaru do you not?" He smirked.

"What I desire isn't your business." She fought any emotion that wanted to surface and show through her facial features. Boy, if Sesshomaru seen her now, he'd be proud. She laughed at this thought. Pride. How she almost hated his pride. The very thing that stood between the two, but also a cause of her attraction. Yes, Lord Sesshomaru was a prideful being. Rin felt a surge of respect for her lord.

The snake watched the girl as she watched the InuLord of the West toy with her in the spring. '_Interesting_.' The snake mused. '_She watches, and feels sadness… But this sadness won't make her break._' He became irritated. Yes… He wanted to break her. Make her cry out in pain. The sad and broken ones always taste better. '_Theirs more than one way to break a girl._' He thought deeply, and then the most brilliant idea hit him.

"Woman," he called out to her.

Rin turned around to face him.

"It seems as if you do not care about your 'Sesshomaru' as much as you say you do." A smirk spread across his face.

Anger boiled Rin's blood. "That would be how it would seem to someone like you."

"Very well then," The serpent man leaned over and slid off the rock he was perched upon. "Then I suppose this won't bother you at all."

The Yokai's cold, slimy, putrid hands slammed over Rin's ears and an angry forehead slammed into hers. Her vision became blurry and if felt like something was pulling her mind out of her own body. Instead of the pink calming haze that usually took over her thoughts, she was pulled through a black abyss, then into a stench ridden green unnerving haze. It nipped at her skin and made her eyes water. Panic began to take over her brain.

"What is this place?! Tell me where you have taken me!" Tears began to well up in her eyes.

_Silence._

"ANSWER ME!" Rin screamed out, desperately hoping for a voice to answer.

_Silence._

Rin was caught off guard when her feet gently landed on solid ground, and the haze began to clear. She was getting better at steadying herself so she wouldn't collide with whatever surface she was placed upon. The haze cleared, but nipping feeling at her skin remained, as well as the stench but her eyes no longer were searing with pain. She was in a garden.

Sesshomaru's garden to be precise. Why was she here? She had no recollection of having a painful memory with Sesshomaru out in the garden. She had seen herself run in front of her. '_Seems like I'm headed toward the fountain…_' Curiosity took the best of her and she followed herself.

She froze. Her other self stood frozen as well as she watched Sesshomaru sharing a very passionate kiss with the Inu princess of the North. Any other person seeing this would have called it a work of art, beautiful, perfection personified through the sharing of human like emotions. Rin; however, was disgusted. Seeing Sesshomaru do something so… so humanly pissed her off. After all of the times he said emotions are for humans, and showing them only makes you more human… Here he is kissing some Inu bitch.

Sesshomaru was perfect. Too perfect to share this human emotion with this woman. Boiling blood raced through Rin's veins as she stood solitary and shook. In this case, humanity did not suit Sesshomaru. '_Maybe though, maybe he could be pulled into humanity with me and me alone. Not some undeserving Inu princess._'

She ran past her other self and was headed straight to kissing couple. Fury enveloped her as she drew up a great amount of strength as she prepared herself to collide with them. The collision never came though. She gasped in surprise when she ran straight through them. So they couldn't feel or see her? Maybe they could hear. Maybe Sesshomaru's over sensitive ears could pick up her screams.

"SESSHOMARU! GAHHH! SESSHOMARU! I HATE YOU. I HATE HER. WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" She called out over and over again unsuccessfully.

"UGHHHH!" Rin screamed in frustration. Right after her scream though, the whole scene blurred, then became right again. She froze. What was happening?

Her attention shifted back to her other self when she heard her cry out. Rin watched as the other Rin cried where she stood. Sesshomaru and his Inu turned to her. "Rin." She sniffled and looked up at Sesshomaru.

"Leave. I have found a mate. You have no place here in this castle."

The words hit both Rin's like a freight train. How could Sesshomaru be so cruel? Did he not once tell her that her stay at the castle was of pure free will, that he would not make her leave or stay? Did all of the traveling together in search of Naraku mean nothing to him? Did he have no loyalty? She had brought him food, when he came from the portal armless, after a fight with Inuyasha. She saved his little imp from Naraku's poisonous insects…

He did save her life though. Maybe Sesshomaru viewed all of this as her paying the debt of saving her life? She knew many viewed Sesshomaru as a heartless blood thirsty ruler, but Rin knew better. She became distracted once again.

"Leave." The Inu princess spoke up this time. "You have no place here. You are nothing more than human trash. A mere spec upon the earth that will wilt away and die, like the precious flowers you cling to." No emotions played across her face. "A flea on a dog. You leech, without giving back." Rin laughed at the irony of the situation, before becoming angry again.

It was her other self to speak this time. "Sesshomaru…" Her voice was pleading with him. "I love you Sesshomaru… Please… Please… Don't make me do this."

"Rin. You will not question me again. I wish for you to leave." Sesshomaru was cut off by another sob.

"Rin. I do not love you."

The last statement cut into Rin's heart like a hot knife through butter. '_He doesn't love me... After all we've been through. After all the things that's happened between us…' _A violent wave of grief made her body quake. It felt like someone Ripped a hole in her stomach… Leaving nothing but a empty void. It threatened to swallow her hole, it called out to her, beckoning her to its dark depths of insanity. '_No… No…_' That was it. She couldn't take anymore. Rin opened her mouth and let out the loudest, most blood curdling scream ever issued from someone's throat.

She screamed.

She lived for nothing.

She screamed.

She had lost everything.

She screamed.

She didn't notice that the scenery was glitching and rippling. '_Please…someone wake me up._'

Then, before she realized, she was once again being pulled back through the green haze, then through the black abyss, landing her mind back into her own head. She felt nauseas. Her stomach churned as pain throbbed through her head. Opening her eyes she seen the snake passed out in the floor with a pained look on his face.

Rin lay motionless on the cold cave floor in a state of paralysis. Sesshomaru would be out searching for her now; but the question was, did she want to be found? Her heart was plagued with pain from the images that ripped through her mind. Was this all real? She couldn't keep the image of Sesshomaru kissing that Inu from dancing across her thoughts. In all honesty, it was beautiful. That didn't mean she couldn't hate it though.

"I don't love you Rin." Kept playing over, over, and over in her head like a broken record.

She knew she should get up and move. She knew that she needed to get out of the cave before the snake woke up. She knew that Sesshomaru would be tearing the forest apart looking for her. She also knew she didn't really care either. So what, the snake wakes up and eats me or pulls me back into my thoughts. I don't have anyone that really cares anyways.

Sesshomaru's grin and raised eye brow flashed across her thoughts. '_Damn it all_.' Rin never was one to even think about cursing, but hey. Desperate times call for desperate measures. She pulled herself up, and started to follow the lantern lights on the cave walls. She had reason to keep going. She had motivation, even if it came one sided. She needed to see him. She needed him more than anything.

* * *

Sesshomaru was enraged. No man, beast, or creature of any type has ever had the nerve to take something that was his. Yes… She was his.

'_Like father like son.' _He had finally succumbed to his weakness. Rin. But no, she would not be his weakness. What ever has taken Rin doesn't even know what it's gotten itself into. He smirked.

'_**I will find her. When I do, I shall rip that snake apart. Slowly. Painfully. It WILL suffer.**__' _A gleam shined into Sesshomaru's eye.

He dived back into the pond yet again to look for Rin. Maybe there was something that he missed. '_I miss nothing.'_ But then again, he did miss this snake's scent and allowed Rin to be taken. Frustration swept over him like an ocean wave. His stoic mask didn't waver though. He swam gracefully making sure to check every nook and cranny inside the spring. Out of the corner of his eye, he seen a shiny scale glisten. '_There._' He swam to it, and looked around. There was a large stone covering the corner of a hole in the wall of the spring. With one easy push, the boulder was moved, showing a underwater tunnel.

He entered and swam a ways. Other holes large enough for one person lined the walls of the tunnel, randomly. These were automatically ruled out when he decided that it wasn't big enough for him to fit through, let alone two people. He had finally seen where water met air, and a slight light shining through the top. '_This will prove to be interesting.' _

Setting his hands on the cold cave floor, he pulled himself out of the water and shook access water from his clothes and hair. Rin loved watching him do that. He remembered back to the time when the kick from his Bakusaiga knocked him into the water when he was in a weakened state. The demon with the jewel shard hard died and Sesshomaru came from the water and shook. This made Rin laugh and giggle for a whole 10 minutes. He grinned inwardly.

Looking around he could hardly see anything. He could smell Rin though and the slimy snake demon that kidnapped her. He sniffed and walked further to a wall. The snake. He looked down at his feet and could see it. '_Someone should have warned him.'_ Sesshomaru grinned.

"Snake. Wake yourself." The snake groaned and stirred.

"Serpent, what is the meaning of all this." This was more of a statement then it was a question.

"That… that human wench. She almost split my mind open with that wretched ssssssscreaming."

Sesshomaru picked him up by his throat. "You have yet to feel real pain." He was disgusted. This snake smelled terrible.

"No one touches This Sesshomaru's belongings."

The distant torch sent off light that flickered in his eyes. A smirk spread across his face, which was probably more terrifying than his emotionless mask.

He sniffed the air again, catching Rin's tears in the air.

'_Oh yes. There will be pain.'_

* * *

Rin continued her quest to find an exit through the cave. '_It doesn't even end!_' Rin yelled in her mind. "Gah."

She continued thinking about what the snake had shown her. '_Ok. That never happened, obviously. I don't even remember that Inu princess even coming to the castle. I obviously still live with Sesshomaru so…_' She paused when she ran full force into the end of the cave. "Dead end." Rin groaned, cursing the cave for being so dark as she turned around. "Looks like I have some swimming to do." She sighed and began to backtrack her steps.

Rin continued to think to herself. '_I don't need to keep feeling this empty sadness. Sesshomaru didn't really say that he didn't love me… Although he might as well have after not saying anything last night, and giving me that random blank stare.' _Another sigh escaped her lips. "Just gotta keep moving."

Right as she finished her last statement, her legs collided with a large rock causing her to trip and come crashing down to the ground. "Ugh. This is NOT my day." Not only did she have to cross that snake's path again, but now she had the smell of blood on her knees, which was bound to wake it up.

Rin screamed in frustration assuming there was no one to hear.

The scream though, did not fall on deaf ears.

* * *

_**Ok so, I know this chapter was late v.v Buttt, I've been really busy as of late. :( **__**Oh well. You know how it is. Anyways. I'm going to try to have another chapter out before the 13**__**th**__**. Hit the happy review button! Give me some motivation or something. **_

_**Thanks!**_


	6. A place in your Future

-Chapter Six-

**-Chapter Six-**

**-A place in your future.-**

**-**"_I am flawed…But I am cleaning up so well."_-

-DASHBOARD

* * *

Rin sighed as she pushed herself up and tried to swipe off any clumps of mud or foreign residues off her once pretty traveling kimono. "This is beyond repair now…" Rin said and then groaned aloud.

She started walking forward yet again, in search of the water tunnel she must have been pulled through.

--

Sesshomaru dropped the bloody putrid remains of what once was the snake yokai when a scream of frustration reached his ears. '_Rin._'

Stepping over the snake he began walking in the opposite direction of the water tunnel in search for his lost Rin. Who knew how far into this wretched cave she was… He always did hate snakes come to think about it, ever since he was lost in a snake hole as a child when he was partaking in a game of "hide and go seek". Noises were always hard to pin point, in places like these. Any noise can echo off wall to wall to wall, making distance unknown. The darkness; however, was no problem. Sesshomaru's yokai energy lit the cave making the damned place easier to maneuver in.

Quickening his pace, he continued his search. Along his way, he passed several skeletons of yokai and humans alike finally concluding that serpents were by far the lowliest, most foul creatures to ever slither across the earth. He paused. '_I'm nearing her scent._' He continued walking.

"Rin." He could see her three yards ahead of him, trying to make her way through the tunnel.

She paused and looked up. Brilliant light lit the corridor. The source of this light, was none other than Sesshomaru's. Was it really him? Maybe she was hallucinating… She froze. No. This was no illusion. She could feel the warmth resonating off of his yokai energy. "Sessh…Sesshomaru?" She noticed his beautiful hakama and haori was blood splattered. '_Better off not asking what happened to that snake. I don't think my empty stomach can handle that story right now…_'

"Come Rin," Sesshomaru stated.

Rin didn't move though. She remained standing where she was. "I cannot M'lord."

"Then you wish to remain here?" Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at her actions.

Rin looked down, her bangs covering her eyes. "No, I do not. I just want… I want you to answer a question, truthfully."

"Do I not always give you the truth?"

"Hai Lord Sesshomaru…"

"Ask your question. My patience is something few hold for very long." His eye brow lifted up once again.

The eyebrow lift. Of all the things he could have done, he had to do that. '_The cute little lost puppy look. Works on me every time_.' Rin sighed aloud.

"Well M'lord… I… I was just wondering…" His eyes locked with hers as she spoke.

"Do I have a place in your future?" Her nerves were causing her to stutter.

Sesshomaru was a bit taken back by her question. Had he not told her she could remain in the castle until she no longer desired to do so? "Why do you ask such a ridiculous question in which you already know the answer to?"

Rin sighed. "You would say that wouldn't you Lord Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru was never a being to be confused or lost, but this was one of the few times he had no idea of what Rin's intentions were. His facial features eased. "Elaborate."

"I know you've told me that I'm not forced to stay or leave." She paused, thinking carefully about the words she would say next. "But Sesshomaru… You basically showed me the door last night, during our uh." What could you call what happened between them? Choosing her words carefully she continued, "Conversation."

Sesshomaru was still baffled. He didn't tell her to leave… "I do not see how you have connected the two."

Rin laughed half heartedly. "You wouldn't see, would you?" She knew he would never understand.

_'Rin is… laughing at me?' _Sesshomaru's confusion grew as he continued to look at her. '_Her rhetorical questions are taking their toll on me_.'

"Sesshomaru, as much as I want you to… You will never be able to understand a fraction of how human emotions and needs work." She couldn't hold her straight face any longer. Tears began to trail down the dirt and filth that had accumulated on her face. They etched through the soil and cleared lines revealing her soft skin that lay below.

An invisible force was tugging at Sesshomaru's chest. He knew sorrow and longing when he felt it, even if it was something he didn't feel often. _'I do not want to let these emotions toy with me any longer. I will satisfy their wants. Their needs. Most of all, this hunger inside me for her affection.'_

Sesshomaru in all of his perfection began to walk to Rin. '_He really does look godlike…'_ Rin mused in her mind. His yokai aura shown brilliantly around him, illuminating the cave. The closer he would come, the warmer Rin would get. Tips of his aura licked at her skin and slowly began to engulf her as well. Bliss. Complete bliss. This must have been one of the most comforting feelings in the entire world.

He leaned down and whispered into her ear, "Maybe you could teach me to understand…"

Rin's heart skipped a beat. Maybe the snake was trying to play another trick on her again. Maybe this was all going to come crashing down over her right when it was going to get good. His aura rippled and bounced lightly against her exposed flesh. No…This was no trick. This feeling is too real.

Sesshomaru's breathing became heavy. Realization had swept over him. Fate brought this woman to him. Two things could have happened that day when the wolves attacked her. He could have chosen not to save her, and lead a different life… Or he was to use Tenseiga; which he did, and have her apart of his life for the rest of his future. It was his choice. He made the decision that fateful day when the wolves took her life. No Queen of the west would allow a human to remain at the castle. _Rin_ would be his queen, no questions about it. Besides, if it really was fate that put us together… Then it was to be. Crossing fate is never good on anyone's behalf.

"Be with me." Sesshomaru stated more than asked.

Rin stopped. '_He still has a lot to learn about the situation…' _She became distracted from her thoughts when she felt a hand intertwine in her hair.

Sesshomaru began to trail warm kisses down Rin's neck leaving behind a trail of goose-bumps. She tilted her head giving him more access to her most vulnerable spot on her body, '_yes,_' Sesshomaru smirked; she just gave her answer. Rin has lived with inu all of her life… _'Well the life that I have bestowed upon her_,' she knows nearly as much as Jaken does when it comes to the inu behaviors. Revealing her neck to neck is basically the equivalent to, "Take me, I'm yours!"

"Let us return to the castle of the west, you are in need of a good nights rest." His features softened as his gold eyes met her chocolate orbs.

Concern swept over her features. "But Lord Sesshomaru… What about the disturbances in the lower regions of the land from the Southern Lords army?"

Sesshomaru smirked. "They will hold out an extra day. You need not worry about This Sesshomaru's land. It has many means of taking care of itself."

With that, Sesshomaru turned around and started back towards the exit hole in which they came with Rin close in his wake.

Squish, Squish "Ughhh." Rin looked down and realized she was walking through the snake demons remains. "Milord, you didn't worry about making a mess did you?" She grimaced and looked up at Sesshomaru.

"A death suited for one of the lowliest creatures to taint the world's surface." He looked at the mushy pile and turned his nose up. "

"So, time to swim?" Rin motioned towards the hole in the floor.

Sesshomaru nodded.

"Well, it's now or never…" She closed her eyes and was about to step into the water when he caught her by the waist.

Curiously, she looked up to meet his eyes looking for an explanation. "This is a demon tunnel; no human could swim its length with out demons assistance. They would drown."

Rin gave him a swift nod, and he lowered himself and her into the water. "Take a breath."

Luckily, she didn't wait for him to ask her if she was ready and took that breath right when he told her to, because he quickly forced her into the water and began to swim. She kept her eyes closed tightly as she could feel his kicking movements above her. He swam and swam. Rin wriggled beneath him. 'This tunnel has no end!' She could feel the air seeping from her lungs. She opened her eyes looking for some kind of light… anything. She needed to know she was going to get out of this tunnel soon. Cold pin picks nipped at her bare eyes and she searched the length of the tunnel. Nothing.

He body became stiff. She couldn't hold her breath any longer… This was it…

Sesshomaru threw his arm out and moved the rock that blocked the exit. He pulled Rin to the shore and she gasped for air. Her breaths were long ragged drawn out ones and she looked up to Sesshomaru and nodded at him. He gave her a curt nod, and picked her up, to take her to Ah-Un. Her breath evened out and she lied in his arms and gazed up at the sky. Such a beautiful night…

A big bright white streak flashed across the sky; a shooting star. "A shooting star Sesshomaru!"

He looked up and seen it shooting across the nights sky. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Make your wish Rin."

She nodded and closed her eyes. "Done!" She smiled back up at him.

"What did you wish for?" He raised an eye brow.

"If I told you… It wouldn't come true." A grin pulled at the right side of her lips.

"Very well."

The demon lord and a sleeping Rin returned back to camp to a sleeping Ah-Un and a frantic little imp. "LORD SESSHOMARU!" You were gone for such a long time! You did not even stop to inform your most loyal servant…" KATHUNK Sesshomaru's foot came in contact with the toads head.

"We are going back to the castle. Do not ask me questions, for I'm not in a answering mood. I will not hesitate to decapitate you." He glared at him.

"Hai M'lord." The imp nodded and bowed.

Sesshomaru set a unconscious Rin atop of his two headed dragon and motioned for Jaken to follow them. They began their journey back to the castle by air, at a swift pace promising a more speedy return. So Ah-Un would have no sleep, and his little imp would be extra cranky tomorrow. That is but a small price to pay.

The trio touched down at the Great Western castle about 4 hours before sunrise. Night shift servants ran outside to greet them, and took Ah-Un to his stable. Sesshomaru gathered Rin in his arms, to take her inside. He looked down at her sleeping form. She seemed so… fragile. He knew humans to be fragile, this was no surprise, but she was just magnificent. Amazing. '_I suppose I am my fathers son_.'

Entering the castle, he gave Rin to one of her favorite maids, giving her orders to clean her up, and put her to bed. He handed her over and turned quickly on his heels. The uneasiness in the back of his mind for his lands needed to be put to rest. Upon entering the wing where his most loyal trusted general resided. Opening the door, he called his name. "Takada."

"Lord…Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru sighed. "Yes. Who else?"

Takada chuckled. "Forgive me my lord. What brings you back to the castle in the middle of the night?"

_'Questions._' He grumbled before answering. "I have ran into a complication. I need you to get to the borders as soon as possible. Do not ask further questions, for you do not have time." He nodded at Sesshomaru and watched as he left the room.

Takada's brow scrunched together. "Strange one, he is."

* * *

_**Shewwww. Another chapter that's been sitting half way done for a month. Yeah, yeah. I know. It's really short. But I have writers block…again. Surprise surprise. I know what I want to say, I just have to stop being lazy. Or something… Dunno. Haha**_

_**Oh well. Anyways. Sorry about that really late update. I know I'm a month behind my due date for this chap's release.**_

_**Oh well.**_

_**Hope I haven't lost readers. Haha**_

_**Review please!**_

_**I like them and they give me motivation and junk.**_

_**Yeah!**_

_**I'll hopefully have another one up soon.**_

_**:D**_


	7. Flashbacks and Reflections

**-Chapter Seven-**

**-Flashbacks and Reflections-**

**-"****The heart has its reasons of which _reason_ knows nothing.**."-

**-"Author: I don't remember, but its not mine."**

* * *

The sound of crickets softly chirping out their songs brought Rin back to the world of consciousness as a warm tingling sensation swept over the surface of her skin. 'I don't remember falling asleep outside again…'

Long dark brown eyelashes began to slowly separate, allowing a pink haired bubbly demoness swim into her vision. "Harumi?"

"Hai, young Rin! I was doing my best not to wake you; a very near impossible task, since you are such a light sleeper. I apologize." The beautiful demon woman smiled brightly at her as she continued sponging the dirt and grime from Rin's face.

Rin giggled. "Do not worry Harumi, quite frankly… I feel that I am a bit old, to not be bathing myself and it seems quite awkward to have someone else doing it for me since I have been taking on this task on my own for quite some time now." Harumi's face fell along with her smile. "Yes, Miss Rin."

"Oh no! No, no, no! Don't be sad. I promise you there are still very many things I cannot do on my own, in which I would still need your assistance!" Rin smiled and in return for reassuring her maid, her best female friend; she received a half hearted smile.

"What about the day you decide you do not need me any longer? I'm sure Lord Sesshomaru will not want to keep dead weight lingering about the castle."

Rin shook her head, "Then I suppose I need to always find need for you. Which isn't hard to do… I always need you. Even if not to assist me with physical things… I need you, because you are the truest friend I've ever known, besides our Lord Sesshomaru that is."

The pink haired yokai raised an eye brow at the not-so-small girl soaking in the pool of water and bubbles, "I do not see how you of all beings on this Earth are able to call Lord Sesshomaru a friend, and live to tell the tale."

"Wellllll, you could say that we have a certain understanding of each other," Rin covered her eyes as she giggled..

Harumi joined her in her bout of laughter and began to get up from her kneeling position. "Well Miss Rin, I'll leave you to it. You seem to have everything under control here." Then with a smile, she exited the room.

The bathing chamber door clicked, as Rin slid further down into the water; Bubbles popped and shifted as she blew the water around. _'Another new bathing chamber that I've yet to see…'_ She took in her surroundings and tried to remember. Nothing came to mind when she took in all the pink, blue, yellow, and other various pastel childish colors in.

_'Maybe a…'_ And then it dawned on her. _'…The nursery bathing room!' _This was a place she hadn't visited in many many years.

_'How could I have ever forgotten this place? I know that it's been quite some time since I had bathed in here or been in the general area… But the nursery wing was where I spent most of my childhood life in the castle. Sesshomaru allowed me to play with all the children's toys and games that were kept here for generations and generations.' _Rin giggled. '_Not that __**he**__ would have any use for them.'_

Setting her hands on the sides of the smaller tub she raised her self up and grabbed one of the lovely pink fluffy towels and wrapped it around herself. Looking around, she found one factor missing that should have been there. Her clothes. '_Of all things, how did Harumi POSSIBLY forget my clothes?!'_

_xxxxxxxxxx_

"Harumiiiii!" A pre-teen Rin skipped through the lush meadow that lied just beyond the castle walls.

Rin paused and listened for the answer from her care taker. She waited… she waited some more… still, nothing. '_Harumi is_ _so forgetful.' _Sighing, she looked down at her feet to scope out a good spot to sit down.

"Guess I'll just have to wait out here until she remembers me. The castle gates are most likely locked since the suns beginning to go down…" With that said, Rin lied back surrounding herself with the beautiful pink, purple, and orange flowers that brought forth one of the most beautiful aromas on the wind one could ever smell.

The Sun sank below the horizon, and was replaced by small glimmering stars with a light brush of pink in the area where the bright glowing orb disappeared. The threat if foreign demons attacking was minimal; the barrier around the grounds of the Western Castle was great. Even if something did successfully breach its magic, Sesshomaru himself would be notified, for he brought forth the barrier himself, tying it to him somewhat.

The pink glow on the horizon was gone as soon as it had come, leaving only the gentle glow from the moon and stars to light the area. A cricket abandoned its place on a flower next to her and jumped onto her arm. Rin held it up to eye level and began to speak to him, "Hey there little guy…" She smiled. "Have you lost your home? Or have you been left behind like I have been?" The cricket gave another chirp and jumped along to his next destination.

Re-relaxing, Rin gazed up at the night sky letting forth a long drawn out sigh. A bright flash began to light up the sky; catching her attention. Averting her gaze to another quadrant of the big ocean of stars above, her eyes met with a big bright shooting star. "Gotta make my wish." She said quietly to herself.

Squeezing her eyes shut tightly, she made her wish.

There was a change in the wind around her. Maybe not so much as a change… but a blockage. There was no need to open her eyes; she knew who stood in front of her. "Lord Sesshomaru," Rin acknowledged him sheepishly through half lidded eyes .

"Come Rin." He stated and turned away heading back toward the castle.

"Wait M'lord!" Sesshomaru froze but did not turn around. "Did you see the shooting star?"

"Yes."

"Did you wish on it?"

"I do not bother myself with such old wives tales."

"But M'lord!" Rin exclaimed, "It does not hurt to try does it?"

Sesshomaru turned around, and looked into Rin's questioning eyes giving a slight nod; he lightly closed his eyes for a moment then reopened them.

"Let us return now Rin." The corner of his lip pulled up for a fraction of a second.

This made her smile. "Hai M'lord!"

He turned on his heels and began to return to his castle, with Rin skipping close behind.

xxxxxxxxxx

Before exiting the nursery, Rin re wrapped her pink fuzzy towel that barely came to the tip of her finger from her free hanging hand. '_Good thing I've lived here all my life…Knowing the castle like the back of my hand really has its perks. Saves me the embarrassment from having to… well… sneak through the castle with random yokai on guard.' _

With that said she opened the book shelf in the nursery room and entered into its darkness. Crisp cold air swept over Rin's soft tanned skin, sending a course of cold chills up her arms. Grabbing the side of the book shelf, she pulled it to, and was soon taken over by darkness. "This isn't as bad as it used to be."

'_Then again… I was terrified of the dark when I used to use this passage. Besides, Sesshomaru's chamber was always on the other side of the…' _Rin froze like an ice burg and stopped dead in her tracks. '_Sesshomaru. HOW could I have forgotten that HIS chamber was at the end of this tunnel.'_

Rin turned and gave the book shelf a good push, but the wall didn't give in. Again, she tried to get back into the nursery room pushing harder; still having no luck. With a heavy sigh, she turned back around and faced the darkness ahead. '_Well…at least its Sesshomaru's room. He's hardly ever in there.' _Placing a hand on each side of the tunnel, she started her long walk to her destination.

_'I don't see why I'm uneasy about this. It isn't like Sesshomaru hasn't seen me…well, like this before.'_ Rin looked down to see herself in the pink fuzzy towel, but was unsuccessful.

"I doubt I could even see my hand in front of my face," she said to herself with a sigh, as she raised her hand to test her hypothesis.

'_Nope. Nothing. Ah well. Guess there is no way to go except for forward. C'mon feet. Let's go.' _

Rin carefully made her way through the long shaft, sliding her hands along the stone walls. "Oh." Her hand had glided over the small indention she was looking for giving her warning she was nearing her exit.

A few more steps brought her to a wooden door, which held a large canvas painting on the other side. Sliding her fingers down the door, her hand came in contact with the latch that would lead her to the other side. '_Well…he's either in there, or he isn't. If he isn't I just simply need to go through the hot spring room connecting our rooms and get dressed. If not, I just simply explain my situation.'_

With a swift tug light flooded into her vision. Rin quickly stepped out, turning around quickly to re secure the door to the state it was in before she had tampered with it. Exhaling with relief, she shook her head, allowing bangs to free fall along the sides of her face. '_This wasn't as bad as I…' _her thoughts were cut short.

The great Lord of the West was leaned up against a bed post when he caught Rin's attention with a slight clearing of his throat. Slowly, Rin turned around with a blush spreading full force across her face, and down her neck resting on her chest. Which mind you, was quite revealed in this little fuzzy pink towel. "Lord Sesshomaru…"

He didn't say a word. Sesshomaru continued to stare at her, with an eye brow arched. '_The arched eye brow.' _Rin mentally sighed. "Lord Sesshomaru, I apologize for the intrusion. Harumi seemed to forget to lay my kimono out for me."

Still, he gave no reply. "So… Thank you for saving me back there." She paused and remembered that he ALWAYS seemed to be saving her from the many dangers she walked into. "…Again."

This time, he shifted his position to stand up right. Oh how magnificent he looked. This man…this yokai was amazing. Pure perfection in the flesh. "Had I not lost you in the first place, you would require no saving."

He took long eloquent steps toward Rin. '_Perhaps I shall have some fun with this situation that has been given to me tonight.' _

Sesshomaru took in her beautiful form. '_My Rin…' _His mind began to wander.

What ever happened to personal space? This was a concept Sesshomaru seemed to know little of these days, yet it was always something he constantly reminded her to be mindful of as a child. "Sesshomaru…I…" Her sentence was cut off when he leaned down and caught her lips with his. It was soft…passionate… slow. Her eyes fluttered shut, as she leaned into him and brought her arms up to place over his shoulders to over lap each other behind him. The towel -which was held up in the front from the pressure she put on it as she leaned into him- dropped in the back leaving her whole body exposed except the small spot in the front.

Rin let out a tiny gasp as Sesshomaru lightly drug a fang across her bottom lip. Taking the opportunity, he slipped his tongue into her mouth tasting the sweetness of the forbidden fruit. A human, and it was a better sensation than any of the demons he had kissed. Red bled into gold and a more primitive side took over transforming what was soft and passionate into something that was sexy and lustful. The soft sounds from Rin just made matters more complicated. '_Enough.'_ A foreign voice in Sesshomaru's mind silently commanded.

Sesshomaru growled out loud at the intrusion, making Rin stiffen in his arms; pulling him back to reality. He slowed himself, and pulled back placing a final solitary kiss on Rin's lips. Slightly shell-shocked, Rin's eyes widened as she tried to casually catch her breath. "S…Sesshomaru."

The red began to fade from the amber. A flood of emotions came with sanity as he turned and opened his window. With a look back to Rin he stood there, as the wind blew his hair. '_Amazing. How perfectly…Perfect.'_ She thought to herself as she watched him step through the window, pull the glass shut and descend into the night.

"So much for being sneaky and explaining myself," Rin said to no one in specific as she exited through the door that would take her right to her chamber.

She walked to the closet door pulling out a sleeping gown. Dropping her towel, she slowly put on undergarment and her gown and cuddled up under the covers. The moonlight shone into her room, casting shadows on the ground. The moonlight lit up the frame on her dresser across from her. She looked at her younger self with her beloved and cold lord. Her human hating, pureblood loving lord. Of course… She had always been an exception. Even now, she was an exception. Yes, it would be she that melted off Sesshomaru's façade of ice.

xxxxxxxxxx

The cold nights air pierced all of the Silver Inu-Yokai's senses. The demon cloud he rode upon began to descend down towards the ground. The area was cold and quiet, and the only noise that could be heard was a nearby river that wound throughout the lands. Stepping down onto solid earth, Sesshomaru took slow, even steps to a large tree. Turning, he sat down cross legged and absent mindedly sorted out thoughts and feelings that caused such a change. His mind came down to one last conclusion. The mighty Lord of the West sat still as a statue and thought to himself, '_It seems the tables tonight have turned. I wished to play with her, but it turned out she inadvertently played with me.' _

With that last thought, Sesshomaru took his meditating position and let his mind float into another state of consciencness.

* * *

**I suck with punctuality, but you guys'll get over it. **

**I'll also work on length next time too.**

**HEY. Being a junior's hard ok? ACTS suck, and so do AP classes all at once.**

**I just don't have time, man.**

**Ha.**

** PS. Well… From this point forward, expect random Twilight quotes. I read the books like forever ago, and fell in love with them. They also kind of go with this so. Yeah.**

**Thanks for the 44 reviews so far for just 6 chapters guys. **

**Ya keep me goin'. **

**So keep reading, bear with me, and have a cookie. **

**Kbye!**


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